Predators Ink Forwards O'Reilly, Wilson

[VodkaFish]

Nashville, Tenn. – Nashville Predators Executive Vice President/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed center Cal O’Reilly (KAL oh-RIGH-ley) and free-agent forward Kelsey Wilson (KEHL-see WIHL-suhn) to three-year contracts.

O’Reilly will be paid $450,000 at the NHL level and $50,000 at the minor-league level in the first year of the deal while the second and third years of the deal will pay him $475,000 at the NHL level and $50,000 per year in the minors. Along with his salary, O’Reilly receives a $100,000 signing bonus. Wilson will be paid $450,000 at the NHL level and $45,000 at the minor-league level in year one and $475,000 at the NHL level and $45,000 per year in the minors in years two and three. Wilson receives a $35,000 signing bonus.

O’Reilly, 20 (9/30/86), tied for third in the Ontario Hockey League in assists (81) last season with the Windsor Spitfires. The 6-0, 193-pound pivot led Windsor in points in both the regular season (18g-81a-99pts) and post-season (3g-8a-11pts). In the 2005-06 OHL coaches poll, the Toronto native was named the OHL Western Conference’s smartest player and he also finished second in the conference poll for best playmaker and third for best stickhandler.

Originally Nashville’s fourth choice, 150th overall (fifth round), in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, O’Reilly joined the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) at the completion of his junior season last year on an amateur-tryout contract and appeared in two regular-season games and 10 playoff games en route to the AHL Calder Cup Finals.

Wilson, 20 (1/22/86), finished second on the Guelph Storm in goals (38) last season, finished third in points (38g-31-69pts) and led the club with 196 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 210-pound left wing from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. also netted a team-high 12 goals in the post-season for Guelph. An undrafted free agent, Wilson attended both Nashville’s 2006 prospect conditioning camp and 2006 training camp.

Both players were reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) during the Predators’ 2006 training camp.

[admirals89]

nice, looks like kelsey wilson will drop em

[caps05]

Looks like O'Reilly's a good playmaker. Man, 81 assists vs. only 18 goals? Possibly the next Adam Oates?

[Mr. Pink]

Too bad for the Preds that this isn't Terry O'Reilly, and Behn Wilson!